Oct 7 Contentment in the Little Years & Better Mom Mondays Link-up!

"Suppose your stories...say that everything should have been different. Suppose you encourage or even just allow your children to believe that their parents ought to have been different people…with a better chance, born in a better place…Doesn’t that finally unmake everything that has been made?Isn’t that the loose thread that unravels the whole garment?

Have I unknowingly said?
I would’ve, could’ve, should’ve, might’ve
Wanted to be somewhere else, somewhere not with them,
Surrounded by little hands and little feet and sticky chair backs.

Have I made them feel it?
That there is something more, something different, that I want–
Something missing–
Unclaimed, thwarted ground–
That I’m longing for?

"If by doing some work which the undiscerning consider not spiritual work I can best help others, and I inwardly rebel, thinking it is the spiritual for which I crave, when in truth it is the interesting and exciting, then I know nothing of Calvary love."~Amy Carmichael

Because if I’ve said those unsaid words...

With a sigh as I glance at the muddy laundry piles.
Or a scowl as I wash nose prints off the sliding door.
Or a frown when it takes too long for tying shoes.

If I've seemed too busy to listen to stories.
Or I appear to count the minutes until naptime.
Or if I've pushed away questions with a wave of my hand.

Or if I ever, ever, ever let it seem that my heart is somewhere else.

Forgive me.
I didn’t mean to.
I don’t want to.
Please forgive me.

For I want to dwell in this land that He has provided as a friend of faithfulness (Psalm 37:3).Strengthened by His power, according to His might, for all endurance and patience with joy (Col. 1:12). Learning to be content in whatever the situation (Phil. 4:11-12). That I may finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord...so that I may testify to the gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24).

ThisIs what I want.
It's what He’s given me,
These incredible years with you...
That are passing too quickly already.

"If we had the least notion of God’s lovingkindness and tender mercy,His fatherly care for His poor children, His generousity, His beautifulplans for us; if we knew how patiently He waits for our turning to Him,how gently He means to lead us to green pastures and still waters, howcarefully He is preparing a place for us, how ceaselessly He is orderingand ordaining and engineering His Master Plan for our good-if we had anyinkling of all this, could we be reluctant to let go of our smasheddandelions or whatever we clutch so fiercely in our sweaty little hands?…If with courage and joy we pour ourselves out for Him and for others forHis sake, it is not possible to lose, in any final sense, anythingworth keeping. We will lose ourselves and our selfishness. We willgain everything worth having.” –Elizabeth Elliot

These lines have fallen for me in pleasant places (Is. 26:3).
His beautiful threads that have woven us into a family.

And in His intimate knowing-ness,
Because He sees those deepest places,
Of what would really make me–
Live.
And love.
And give.
And learn.
And need.
And trust.
And grow.
And shine for Him.

He knew it would be–This.

In this appointed time and place and season of these Little Years. Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned...
And to which God has called (1 Cor 7:17).

“Christian contentment…is the direct fruit of having no higher ambition than to belong to the Lord and to be totally at his disposal in the place He appoints, at the time He chooses, with the provision He is pleased to make.” ~Sinclair Ferguson

So….
If you (sweet child)
Ever think you’ve heard me say–
Or want.
Or claim.
Or desire.
Or strive for….

Something else.
Something different than–
This.

Just know that–

This is what He gave me.
And I want nothing else (not more)…
And for me all else would be less
than…

This.

"Motherhood as a mission field is giving up yourself. Lay yourself down. Sacrifice yourself here, now. Cheerfully wipe the nose for the fiftieth time today. Make dinner again for the people who don't like the green beans. Laugh when your plans are thwarted by a vomiting child. Lay yourself down for the people here with you, the people who annoy you, the people who get in your way, the people who take up so much of your time that you can't read anymore. Rejoice in them. Sacrifice for them. Gain that which you cannot lose in them." ~Rachel Jankovic

So now it is time to LINK-UP and join the party!!!!

Better Mom Mondays Link-up is every Monday!!! Every week we have hundreds of posts linked up here from so many beautiful women with beautiful things to share! I encourage you to visit their sites by clicking on the links and reading all of the fantastic ideas and insights! Also don't forget to join the fun by adding your blog!! We request that if you join below -please add the Better Mom Mondays Link Up button to your post so your readers can find us here! (Posts can include the topics of mothering, marriage, homemaking, discipleship, recipes, organization and more!) You can find the html code in the sidebar, or "save as" copy, and paste the button below.

Kara is 19-years-married to her husband Jason, one of the funniest and most
generous people she knows. They have 5 kiddos, 4 here and 1 in Heaven. They
also have a muppet-like-mess-of-a-dog Penny, non-breeding Madagascar
Hissers (who have had over 100 babies), chickens, fish, and a bearded
dragon named William Wallace. Kara writes mostly about family adventures,
adoption, grief, Heaven, education, books, and most importantly, clinging
to God in everyday life.

Kara is 19-years-married to her husband Jason, one of the funniest and most
generous people she knows. They have 5 kiddos, 4 here and 1 in Heaven. They
also have a muppet-like-mess-of-a-dog Penny, non-breeding Madagascar
Hissers (who have had over 100 babies), chickens, fish, and a bearded
dragon named William Wallace. Kara writes mostly about family adventures,
adoption, grief, Heaven, education, books, and most importantly, clinging
to God in everyday life.